The End
by PuffinAlchemist
Summary: John and the other's have beaten SBURB, and have made it back to a familiar place. But the game has a devastating effect on its players, some more than others. Rated T for slight gore and language. Homestuck belongs to Andrew Hussie and MSPaintadventures. The lyrics to Ghostbusters belong to their rightful owners.


I opened my eyes, squinting in a bright light. Where were we? We had gone through the door, now what?

My eyes adjusted and I was gasping. We were in a small quaint neighborhood, on the sidewalk in front of a house with a tire swing out front.

I felt a hand tighten on mine, and I looked back. My new friend, companion, ally. His usually angry grey face was frozen in a look of awe.

"Karkat!" I whirled on him, eyes shining.

"..What?" His gaze focused from looking around, and he rubbed his face slowly. "Where the fuck are we?"

"Home!" I said excitedly, nose already beginning to sting from the threat of tears. "I-I'm home!"

"Yeah, you are…" Karkat looked dejected, eyes shifting away. "So, we won?"

"Yeah! We did! Isn't that great, Karkat?" I looked anxiously at my house. My dad had to be in there.

"Yeah, it is. But John..." Karkat bit his lip. He opened his mouth to say something; then sighed.

"What is it?" I looked expectantly at him. "Spit it out, and I can introduce you to my dad! And then show you my room"

Karkat let out another shaky sigh. "Don't you find it funny we're the only ones here?"

I pursed my lips, pondering the fact for a moment. "Yeah, that is kind of weird. Do you know why?"

"It's…" Karkat furrowed his eyebrows, looking like he was about to break down. "It's because everyone is dead."

"What about Gamzee? He isn't dead!" I protested.

"John. Focus. Everyone is dead. Everyone. And that list includes John Egbert." Karkat covered his mouth, eyes downcast.

"..Oh." I concluded. I could feel my face begin to pale, my body felt empty. "So… Dad isn't here?"

"I don't think so." Karkat shook his head slowly.

I looked back at the house. "I… I wanted to see my dad again." I let out a pitiful sniff, eyes beginning to brim with tears. "I wanted to spend more time with you guys! I don't want to die!"

Karkat steeled his jaw, chin wrinkling in a funny way. "John…" He gave up, and hugged me stiffly. "You asshole." He said gruffly.

"Why am I an asshole?" I wiped my eyes, embracing him tightly.

"For making me know I'm going to miss you." Karkat's shoulders loosened, letting out a sniff. "Now grow up, you're 16."

"17 now… It's my birthday today." I said with an empty tone, wishing my eyes would stop streaming with the sudden emotion.

"Yeah, so man up. You saved your world. Isn't that enough?" Karkat looked up at me with an unsure look.

"No… That's not what I wanted to do! I wanted to have fun, to have a good birthday. I didn't ask to do something like this, to meet you aliens… To die like 4 times, either!"

Karkat looked hurt, wriggling from my grasp. "You didn't like the fact that you met us, finally?"

"No… That's not what I meant; my brain is just fuzzy right now." I rubbed my head, grimacing. "I can't think straight."

Karkat murmured something, eyes fixed on the sidewalk in front of us.

"Huh? You said something?" I leaned in, daring him to meet my eye.

"I said, it's starting. Everything that happened to you is catching up." Karkat said a bit louder, eyebrows shadowing his face as he looked up.

"What about you? You look fine!" I blinked a few times; my glasses weren't helping any for a change. Their thick glass usually made everything look like an HD screen.

"It's because my original timeline self never died. I'm on the verge of passing out, but other than that I'm peachy. Once I get a week of sleep I'll be fine." Karkat waved it off, looking back where we had come from. "I wish Gamzee would come out here. But… If he left the game he'd probably die on the spot…" His worry for his moirail made me smile a bit.

"He'll be fine. Everyone else is probably home-"I stopped abruptly, a pang beginning in my chest. It was irritating, like an itch, but it grew quickly to an ache. I leaned back, rubbing my chest.

Karkat noted it with precision, and let out a small 'fuck.'

"What are you-Oh." I looked down at my chest, eyebrows furrowed. My chest felt wet, clammy and sickening. "Shit, I'm bleeding." I said with a strangled tone, pulling my shirt from my skin in a futile attempt not to stain it from the beginning blood flow. This was how I had become god tier, and this was how I was to die.

Karkat grabbed my forearm, and pulled me towards my vacant house. "Come on; let's have you die somewhere nice." He let me stumble after him, stopping when he hit the front door. "It's locked."

"Of course it is… It's a front door. People lock them." I sat heavily on the front step, looking up at Karkat dully as he attempted to smash it in. "Give it up."

"I…" Karkat kicked at the door, "wanted to at least let you die somewhere nice."

"I am somewhere nice. At my house."

"Since when did your whole perspective of this situation change?"

I shrugged, unsure why I had suddenly become accepting. My chest felt like it was being ripped apart now, maybe that was why. I laid my head on the cement of the top step, eyes half-closed. I was beginning to ache all over, and could feel blood soaking through my shirt with ease. "I'm accepting something that will someday happen."

Karkat scoffed, his voice wavering in an attempt to keep his tone under control. "I know, but it's almost scary to see someone just lay there and tell you they're dying with a calm voice." His voice cracked, and he coughed it off, sitting down next to me.

I laughed, more of a hacking cough than anything else. "You're still a child. If this is what we all act like when someone dies, we're all still children."

"Thank you for the deep insight. And do you think people will notice that you're dripping on the front step?" Karkat pointed out the cerise liquid that had snuck its way onto the cement.

"I don't care, but it better end up spelling out some sort of shit like 'who you gonna call?'" I felt strength sap from my body as I made the remark, joining its friends on the step. I didn't hurt anymore, and I wondered if that meant something dangerous.

Karkat let out a small smile. "Yeah, I'll make sure I do that." He looked down at me with fear in his eyes, suddenly. "You're dying. Like, right fucking now."

"Yeah, I am. Close now, I can't feel my fingers or toes." My voice was lower; it took more work to even breathe.

"Great." Karkat leaned over and hugged me again, but with a tight grip. His voice began to waver as he spoke, and I felt his shoulders shake against me. "I'll miss you, I guess. I really will, but I feel like I'm the one leaving."

"Shhh, chill." I patted his head, "don't freak out. I've grown up, remember? You should too. Just… Fuck up anyone who thinks they're going to play that game."

"No one is ever going to play it, shut up. You beat it, you broke it, and it's over. And-And so are you." His voice was reaching hysterics, seemingly incoherent as he kept speaking.

"You make me feel so much better. Thanks bunches." I closed my eyes and smiled. "At least now I can remember that I saved the world."

"Yeah… you can." Karkat wiped his face, eyes and nose running freely. "See you on the flip side."

I used most of my remaining energy to laugh, breathes becoming breathless pants. "Who taught you that? Dave?"

"I watch movies, they say it." I felt a hand reach down and steal my glasses from my face.

"…What are you doing…?" I murmured, unable to snatch at them, unable to even move.

"I'm going to wear these. I'm going to wear them every day of my life." Karkat said thickly, still crying.

"You'll… Destroy your… Eyes." I managed.

"I don't fucking care, you're like my best friend. I know I hated you in the beginning, I tend to hate everyone. But you're great, I mean it." I opened my eyes long enough to see Karkat put the glasses on, reaching behind them to rub his blood-shot eyes.

"…Thanks. Best friends, bro." I smiled, eyes closing slowly again. "Love ya."

"What? Are you joking? I know you're joking. It's obvious! Human sarcasm is so hard to understand… John. John. John! Fuck, answer me! Fucking fuck fuck fuck… Don't you dare be dead, I'll miss you! Please! Please, please…" Karkat's fading voice became frantic, on the verge of hysteria.

I didn't even get a chance to tell him I was using the term lightly.

At least I won the game.

But all good things come to a close.

* * *

Sorry for that... I'm so sorry. Here's an alternate ending to make you feel sort of better! Heh...

* * *

My eyes shot open and I was up, seeing stars as I stumbled towards the door of my room in nothing but my green pajama pants. I nearly tripped on the stairs, making a beeline into the kitchen.

I saw a tall man look back at me with confusion, then worry. I couldn't make much out without my glasses, but I knew who he was all the same.

I threw myself into his arms, eyes beginning to stream and my shoulders wrack with heavy sobs. I couldn't be dreaming now. All that had to have been a dream.

"John. John, are you okay? Johnny?" My father said softly, his arms instantly wrapping themselves protectively around me.

"I..." I hiccupped, "I had a really, really bad dream." I clenched my eyes shut, hands unable to let him go.

"Well, it was just a dream. None of it was real, okay?" His tone was empathetic and he rubbed the back of my head slowly. "Don't worry about it, just eat breakfast. I'm making cake for later."

I pulled away slowly, wiping my running nose. "O-okay… Sounds cool."

"By the way, happy birthday. It's not every day a boy turns 13." My dad patted me on the head as I went to go squint into the cupboard for cereal.

"Yeah, it's not. Let's see how long I can make this year without making any life killing choices."

"Well, just make sure you don't blow up the planet."

"I won't." I laughed. _That's something preserved for dreams, and I intend to keep it that way. _

=Homestuck: End

* * *

I'm so sorry.

-Puffin

(Homestuck doesn't belong to me, obviously.)


End file.
